Mower.



Nn. 740,562. PATBNTED 00T. 6,1903.

' A. HART.. MOWER.

AP'PLIGATION Hmm' 1120,28. 1899.A RBNEWBD nu 2a. isos.

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A HART MOWER. APPLIGATIQN FILED 1120.26. 189s. 'RBNEWBD MAY 2a. 190s.

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Patented October 6, 1903. A

APATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED HART, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TOSAID ALFRED HART, FREDERICK E. HART, `OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, RALPH W.HART, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AND JOHN L. JACKSON, OF RIVERFOREST, ILLINOIS.

MOWER.

SBECEFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 740,562, dated October6, 1903. Application led December 26, 1899. VRenewed May 23, v1903.Serial No. 158,543. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED HART, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowers, of which thefollowing'is a specication, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

My invention relates to harvesting machineryand particularly to mowers,and has for its object to provide certain improvements in machines ofthe type illustrated and described in my application tiled April 9,1898, Serial No. 676,978, wherein spring devices are vprovided forraising and lowering the finger-bar.

In the apparatus of my former application above referred to alifting-lever is provided for raising and lowering the finger-bar, saidlever being provided with a torsion and resilient spring adjustable forthe purpose of operating said lifting-lever, the arrangementbeing suchthat when said spring is moved to a certain position it acts to operatesaid lever and raise the finger-bar, whereas when moved to a dierentposition its effect on the lifting-lever is diminished, so that theweight of the nger bar carries it down. In my former application thespring is operated by means of a foot-lever.

. The improvements which form the subjectmatter of my present inventionspecifically considered consist in providing means by which theoperation of said lifting-spring is controlled by thedraft of the team,so that when the draft is applied the finger-bar is lowered to itsoperative position, and when the team stops the lifting-spring acts toraise the finger-bar to its inoperative position; but, genericallyconsidered, my present invention consists, broadly, in providing meansby which the nger-bar is .automatically lowered from its ordinaryinoperative position to its operative position when the team is startedandV is automatically raised vto a more or less nearly vertical orinoperative position when the team is stopped.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention as appliedto a mower .are concerned my invention is not limited toV the use of thespecific apparatus illustrated, but includes variations andmodifications thereof.

vIn the drawings, Figure l is a side view of a mower embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a view of the draft devices and a part of thelinger-bar. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a part of the'draft devices. Fig. 4is a side view of the lifting spring and lever, the tinger-bar being insection; and Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the finger-bar in itsraised position.

Referring to the drawings, 6 indicates the tongue, which is secured atits rear end to the frame 7 of the machine. Y

8 indicates one of the wheels.

9 indicates the nger-bar, which is pivcted at 10 in the usual Way.

1l indicates the whietree, which is advadjustably mounted under thetongue on a rod 12 andis provided with a spring 13, Aby which theadjustment of the whiffletree is regulated. In the constructionillustrated the whiletree 1l is supported from the rod 12 by a bracket14, to which it is connected by a pin 15, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

16 indicates a lever, which is pivoted on the pin 15, as shown in Figs.1 and 2. The pivot-hole of the lever 16 is placed at one side of thelongitudinal center thereof, so that said lever is provided with longand short arms 17 and 18, respectively, as shown in Fig. 3.

19 indicates a rocking lever,which is mounted upon a pivot 20 and isconnected by rod 21- with the linger-bar 9, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5,the arrangement being such that the rocking of said lever 19 raises andlowers the finger-bar, turning it on itsy pivot lO iu the familiarmanner. The lever 19 is directly operated by a springk22, the rear endof kwhich is connected to an adjustable stop 23, secured to a suitablebracket 24, carried by the frame of the machine. spring is connected toa hook 25 or othersuitable devices carried by an Iarm 26, which is Theforward end of said mounted upon a pivot 27, fitted in a lug 28, carriedby the lever 19 and extending at right angles to said lever, asillustrated in Fig. 5, the arrangement being such that the arm 26 isadapted to rock in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the lever 19.The length of the arm 26 is such that when it is rocked to carry thehook 25 to its lowermost position said hook is in line with or slightlybelow pivot 20 of the lever 19, and when the hook is in its uppermostposition it will lie at a considerable distance above the pivot 20. Theresult is that the spring 22 exerts a lifting force when the hook 25 isin its upper position, but exerts little or no lifting force when thehook is in its lowermost position. The spring 22 has a torsion as wellas a lifting effect, which is secured by twisting the spring before itis put into place, the hook 23 being provided with a squared shank, sothat it cannot turn in its socket. The spring 22 is so twisted that itis adapted to operate to carry the arm 26 up into operative position,the torsional tendency of the spring being i ncreased when said arm ismoved down to inoperative position under the action of the team, as willbe hereinafter described.

29 indicates a flexible connecting device, one end of which is connectedto the long arm 17 of the lever 16, the other end thereof being securedto a pulley 30, mounted upon the pivot 27, connected to the arm 26, thearrangement being suchvthat when the arm 26 is in its uppermost oroperative position and the connecting device 29 is moved in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5, which is the case when thedraft of the team is applied to it, the arm 26 is rocked on its pivotdown into inoperative position, permitting the finger-bar to drop by itsown Weight and at the same time putting said spring under greatertorsional tension.

3l indicates a guide-pulley for the connecting device 29.` When thedraft of the team is removed from the connecting device, the torsionalstrain of the spring 22 acts to throw the arm 26 up into operativeposition, permitting the spring to raise the finger-bar. The short armof the lever 16 is connected by connecting devices to the finger-barsupport, as shown in Fig. 1, and by reason of the fact that the arm 18is shorter than the arm 17 a greater proportion of the draft of the teamis applied to the finger-bar than to the liftingspring mechanism. Thisarrangement is desirable, as it is unnecessary that the fingerbar bearupon the ground very heavily-in fact, it is frequently desirable thatthe fingerbar should run lightly on the ground. By adjusting theposition of the pivot of the lever 16 the proportionate part of thepower applied to the finger-bar and spring-lifting devices may beregulated.

The operation of the machine will doubtless be understood from theforegoing description; but it may be advisable to state that the normalposition of the finger-bar and lifting devices is as shown in Fig. 5,the fingerbar being raised to a more or less nearly-vertical positionbythe spring 22, acting through the arm 26 and the lever 19, the hook 25by which the spring is connected to the arm 26 being then at itsgreatest distance from the pivot 2O of the lifting-lever 19. When thedraft of the team is applied through the connecting device 29, the arm2O is rocked on its pivot, carrying the hook 25 down substantially intoline with the pivot 20, so that the spring 22 has practically `nolifting effect, and consequently the finger-bar drops to operativeposition under its own weight and continues sc until the draft of theteam is removed, when the torsional action of the spring 22 throws thearm 26 up into operative position, giving the spring 22 a leveragesufficient to enable it to overcome the weight of the finger-bar andraise it. Under certain circumstances, as when the machine is not inoperation, it is desirable to lock the lingerbar in its raised position,and to this end a locking-pin' 33 is provided, which is mounted in asuitable support 34, carried by the lever 19, and is adapted to enter asuitable socket in the arm 26, as shown in Fig. 5. A spring 35 may beprovided for moving the pin into its socket when it is desired to havethe locking automatic. Sometimes it is desirable to limit the height towhich the finger-bar is raised, and for that purpose an adjusting deviceis provided consisting of a bracket 36, having a slot 37, adapted toreceive a bolt 38, carried by the lever 19. By passing the bolt 38through the slot 37 the movement of the lever 19 is limited.

It will be understood that in my improved machine the draft of the teamoperates to lower the finger-bar from its ordinary inoperative orsubstantially vertical position to operative position. This, so far asIam aware, has never before been accomplished. Furthermore, theautomatic lifting mechanism operates to restore the linger-bar to itsinoperative or substantially vertical position when the draft of theteam is removed, and this also, so far as I am aware, has never beforebeen accomplished. My invention therefore is not restricted to thespecific details of the construction illustrated and described except inso far as such features of construction are particularly claimed.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

l. In a harvesting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame, afinger-bar, means for raising the finger-bar to its vertical, orinoperative, position, and means for vautomatically lowering saidlinger-bar from its vertical to its operative position when the team isstarted, substantially as described.

2. In a harvesting-machine, the combinationwithamachine-frame,anger-bar, means for automatically lowering saidnger-bar to operative position when the team is started, and means forautomatically raising said 1in- IIC ger-bar to inoperative position whenthevteam is stopped, substantially as described.

3. In a harvesting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame, afinger-bar, means for raising the inger-bar to its vertical, orinoperative,'position, and means operated by the draft of Jthe team forlowering the fingerbar from vertical -to operative position,substantially as described. v

4. In a harvesting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame, afinger-bar, means operated by the draft of the team for lowering thenger-bar to operative position, and spring mechanism for raising thefinger-bar to inoperative position when the draft is removed,substantiallyas described.

5. In a harvesting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame, anger-bar, and means for automatically raising said lingerbar toinoperative position when the machine is stopped, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a harvesting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame, afinger-bar, and spring mechanism for automatically raising saidlinger-bar to inoperative position when the team is stopped,substantially as described.

7. In a harvesting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame, alinger-bar, a lifting-lever for raising said finger-bar, means operatedby the'd'raft of the team for lowering the finger-bar, and a spring forraising said lever whenthe draft of the team is removed, substantiallyas described. y

8. In a harvesting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame, afinger-bar, means for automatically raising said finger-bar toinoperative position when the machine is stopped, and means for limitingthe height to which the finger-bar is raised, substantially asdescribed. I

9. In a harvesting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame, alinger-bar carried thereby, means operated bythe draft of the team forlowering the finger-bar from vertical,

to an operative position, and means for raising the finger-bar to itsvertical, or inoperative position when the draft is removed.

10. In a harvesting-machine, the combina-` tion of a machine-frame, alinger-bar, a springactuated mechanism for retaining said lingerbarinits Avertical,or inoperative, position,and

means connected to the mechanism and oper-g ated by the draft of theteam for lowering said Jringer-bar from vertical to operative position.

11. In a harvesting-machine, the combination of a machine-frame, alinger-bar connected thereto, a spring-actuated mechanism connectedthereto and adapted to elevate the said bar, means operated by the draftof the team and connected to said mechanism for lowering thesaid bar,and means for locking said bar in an elevated position.

12. In a harvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame, of arocking lever pivotally connected thereto, a inger-bar connected to saidlever, a spring engaging said lever for normally retaining the same andsaid ringer-bar in an elevated position, and means connected to thelever and operated by the draft of the team for lowering said lever andbar.

13. In a harvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame, ofarocking lever pivotally connected thereto, a finger-bar connected tosaid lever, a spring engagingsaid lever for normally retaining the sameand said linger-bar in an elevated position,'and means operated by thedraft of the team for adjusting said spring with reference to the lever.

14. ln a harvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame, and-ainger-bar carried thereby, ot' means for elevating said bar to aninoperative position, a spring mechanism for operating said means, andmeans tion with a machine-frame and a linger-bar carried thereby, ofrockingmeans for elevattative position.

I6. In a harvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame and afinger-bar carried thereby, of a pivoted rocking lever l adapted whenoperated to elevatesaid bar, a

spring adapted tov operate said lever to elevate the said bar, and meansconnected to said lever and operated by the draft of the team forlowering said finger-bar.

17. In a harvesting-machine, the combina- -tion with a machine-frameland a finger-bar carried thereby, of a pivoted rocking lever forVelevating said bar, an arm carried by said lever and movable in a pathsustaining an angnlarrelation to the piane. of said lever, and aspringmovable into and outof operative position by the draft of the team foroperating said lever.

18. In a harvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame and afinger-bar carried thereby, of a pivoted rocking lever for elevatingsaid bar, an arm carried by the said lever, a support, and a springconnected to said arm and support and movable into and ont of operativeposition bythe draft of the team and adapted for operating said lever,causing thereby the elevation of said bar.

19. In a harvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame and afinger-bar carried thereby, of a lifting-lever operated and adapted toelevate the said bar, and a spring connected to "said lever,sad springnormally exerting sufticient force on the lifting-lever to operatel itand being adjustable by the draft of the team to exert insufficientforce on said lever to elevate the bar.

IOO

IZO

20. In a harvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame and alinger-bar carried thereby, of a pivoted rocking lever for elevatingsaid bar, an arm carried by said lever and movable in a path sustainingan angular relation to the plane of said lifting-1ever, a springconnected with said arm, said spring having a torsional as Well as aresilient action, and means connected to the arm and operated by thedraft of the team for lowering the said bar.

2l. In a harvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame and afinger-bar carried thereby, of a pivoted rocking lever for elevatingsaid bar, an arm connected to said lever, means operated by the draft ofthe team for rocking said arm, and a spring secured at one end to asuitable support and at the other end to said arm for operating said armand causing the elevation of said bar when the draft of the team isremoved.

22. In a harvesting-machine, the combination With a machine-frame and afinger-bar carried thereby, of a pivoted rocking lever for elevatingsaid finger-bar, an arm connected to said lever, a torsion-springsecuredat one end to a suitable support and at the other end to saidarm, and means connected to the said arm and operated by the draft ofthe team for lowering the said bar.

23. In a harvesting-machine, the combination With a machine-frame and afinger-bar carried thereby, of apivoted rocking lever for elevating saidbar, an arm connected to said lever, a spring secured at one end to asuitable support and at the other end to said arm for operating the saidlever, causing thereby the elevation of said bar, means for adjustingsaid spring, and means connected to the arm andv operated by the draftof the team for lowering the said bar.

24. In aharvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame and afinger-bar carried thereby, of a rocking lever for elevating said bar,an arm connected to the said lever, a pulley, a spring connected to saidarm and to a suitable support for rocking said lever, causing therebythe elevation of said bar, and a connection operating over the saidpulley and operated by the draft of the team for lowering the said bar.

25. In a harvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame andalinger-bar carried thereby, of a rocking lever for operating said bar,an arm connected to the said lever, a pulley, a spring connected to thesaid arm and adjustably connected to a suitable support for rocking saidlever, causing thereby the elevation of said bar, and a flexibleconnection passing over the said pulley and operated by the draft of theteam for lowering the said finger-bar.v

26. In a harvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame, and alinger-bar carried thereby, of a rocking lever for operating said bar,an arm connected to the said lever, a pulley, a spring connected to thesaid arm and adjnstably connected to a suitable support for rocking thesaid lever, causing thereby the elevation of said bar, a flexibleconnection passing over the said pulley and operated by the draft of theteam for lowering the said finger-bar, and means for locking the saidfinger-bar in an elevated position.

27. In a harvesting-machine, the combination with a machine-frame and afinger-bar carried thereby, of a rocking lever for elevating the saidbar, an arm connected to said lever, a support, a spring connected atone end to said arm and adjustably connected at its opposite end to saidsupport and adapted io rock the said lever for elevating the said bar, apulley and a connection operating over said pulley and operated by thedraft of the l team for lowering the said lfinger-bar.

ALFRED HART.

Witnesses:

` JOHN L. JACKSON,

ALBERT H. ADAMS.

